Call Center Operations and the 800 Services Market

2004-2009

In this comprehensive industry study, Insight investigates the most recent developments in call center operations and their impact on the 800 services marketplace. This report meticulously examines the use of 800 services for sales, customer service, and transaction processing applications, and provides an overview of how toll-free services are being implemented by various industries, including financial services, retail sales, travel services, and software support.

Consumers associate 800 services with convenience and ease-of-use, and now new technology is poised to take the customer service experience to an even higher level of convenience. Internet-driven applications—like updating account information, online ordering, Web-based order tracking, and Web chat—will transform the customer service experience. The promise of superior customer service at a lower per-unit cost is tantalizing, but only realistic when implemented correctly. Insight’s research reveals which firms are successfully implementing these new technologies, and explains what they are doing differently.

How are IP voice and Internet applications impacting traditional functionality of call center operations? Will 800-based calling patterns remain strong despite these new technologies? This report is essential to understand how these issues are changing the 800 services market by industry, by application, and by carrier segment.

AT&T initiated toll-free or 800 number service in 1967 as an inter-exchange
service for its large-enterprise customer, and over the years the service
has found a place among enterprises of every size and description—even as
the underlying technology has been evolved to keep pace with changes in
regulation and marketplace conditions. Call centers have traditionally been
the biggest purchasers of toll-free services; call centers are specialized
organizations within an enterprise or a type of service provider that makes
extensive use of toll free for telemarketing or to provide customer
service. Some observers looking at the growing use of online shopping and
on-line customer care have suggested that toll free from call centers will
suffer as a consequence of the growth of online service delivery; we do not
agree. Our thesis is that the growth of on-line services and shopping will
actually drive...